Last batch of deputy ministers designates vetted
The government needs to raise special bonds to generate the $2 billion it requires to implement the water-for-all project, an initiative to address the daunting water challenge in the country.
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In addition, there ought to be a comprehensive audit of the country's surface water to ensure the prudent roll out of a robust water management system.
The Deputy Minister designate for Water Resources and Sanitation, Mr Patrick Yaw Boamah, said this when he appeared before the Appointments Committee of Parliament yesterday.
He was among six deputy ministers designate vetted yesterday.
Water and sanitation
Touching on pragmatic measures the Water Resources and Sanitation Ministry would take to address the water challenge, Mr Boamah said it was about time the government took bold steps to tackle the danger posed by illegal miners on water resources.
With regard to sanitation, he said the ministry would create awareness to change people’s attitude towards sanitation.
Defence
For his part, the Deputy Minister designate for Defence, Major (rtd) Derek Oduro, said the preoccupation of the Defence Ministry was to take steps to improve upon military-civilian relationships, stressing that it was important to demystify the perception that the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) were in a world of their own.
He debunked allegations that had been made that he had once called on soldiers to beat up a journalist.
Agriculture
The vetting of the Deputy Minister designate for Agriculture, Dr Sagre Bambangi, centred on scholarly publications he had made on agriculture.
An agricultural economist, Dr Bambangi made a case for the strengthening of agricultural extension schemes in rural areas to open up those areas for development.
He said a robust agricultural sector had a link with socio-economic development.
Local production
Another Deputy Minister designate for Agriculture, Mr George Boahen Oduro, said the local production of poultry would be given a major boost to empower local farmers.
He said initiatives would be taken to link farmers to a ready market for their produce, saying that would motivate the youth to go into farming.
Information ministry
When they took their turn, the two deputy ministers designate of Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah and Nana Dukua Asiamah Adjei, both promised to assist their substantive minister to undertake reforms that would make the sector more vibrant.
Among the issues they talked about were the use of drones at state functions and social media as a tool for the minister to propagate the government’s agenda.
Foreign Ministry
The Deputy Minister designate for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Mr Charles Asuako Owiredu, stressed the need for Ghana to consider introducing electronic visas for the effective scrutiny of foreigners who entered the country.
He also talked about his plan to support his minister to address the factors that caused delays in the issue of visas and other challenges regarding the treatment of Ghanaians in the Diaspora.